Alice had spent the night in the inn, as Cain couldn’t return her to the mansion. Sofia offered to let her sleep in the same room, giving Cain ease of mind.
Quickly after that, morning came. Dinner was served as usual, except that Evan gave Cain a suspicious look when he saw Alice.
Sofia did think Alice would hate the food, thinking she will find it bland! To her surprise, Alice was gorging herself down more than Selena!
If her body was failing, she wouldn’t be able to digest food! Alice must have lived on a strict diet for the majority of her life. This was the first time in ages she could eat however she likes!
Also, add her shriveled body on top! She was like a bag of bones and blood after those years of suffering.
“It’s all you can eat, take your time!” Cain said to Alice, signally for Evan to make sure she is well served.
“Hey, are you sure? I wanted to ask you before but who is she? I’m sure she isn’t a registered customer, did she sneak in last night?” Even whispered in Cain’s ear, he had the right to worry. This was an inn and having unknown people get in and out as they please might endanger the customers!
“You’re on the later part, she sneaked here yesterday but I can vouch for her. On who she is… Let’s say she is someone you would sever for free if you know!” Cain replied, trying to keep Alice’s Identity a secret.
William was known for having a very ill daughter, if she got healed suddenly like this, other noble would try to pressure him to reveal who healed her! The lord was going to keep both her and Jack’s matters a secret for now.
Cain thought it will be like this.
Jack was sent for an expedition or a diplomatic matter and died on the way, killed by a rival or bandits! It might be announced a year in the future to hide the link to what happened yesterday!
Alice’s was the same. He would say she is still sick but getting a bit better! To make her recovery seems natural he would stretch it over at least two years! To protect her and the healer from jealous nobles and royalty!
To Cain, it was good as well. It had meant that he can’t be pursued about the fight in the guild. Random people won’t seek him for healing. Alice would have more freedom moving as she won’t be recognized. The city would be more stable overall after losing the only legal heir.
“OPEN THE DOOR!” A loud shout came from outside, Cain and Alice recognized the voice. It was Leon!
Coming with more than twenty armed men they stormed the inn, looking for someone. It didn’t take them long to reach Cain’s table!
Evan and Mabel hid behind the counter and most of the customers keep their distance, It might get messy in a split second.
“We came to take you back!” Leon said looking at Alice, a sigh of relief on his face.
“I’m not, go back!” Alice replied and started to eat again, she didn’t seem to care that much about the situation.
“We have to take you back, It’s an order from father!” Leon said, there was something off about his face.
Alice stopped eating and looked him in the face, “I told you NO! I’m eating, we will come when we finish!” She seemed to be more conscious about the food than why he was here.
Leon looked at her for a moment, weighing his options. “Do you have a moment? I want to talk,” he asked Cain who was sitting beside them.
Cain stood up and went with Leon to the corner for a quick chat, thinking it might have something to do with Jack!
“Our father is worried sick about Alice! When she wasn’t at home this morning he freaked out thinking she might have been sucked into hell!”
What Alice’s father thought was possible if she wasn’t bound to Cain, she would have been rejected from this world and sent back to hell where devils are supposed to live!
“Don’t worry, that won’t happen with her! I made sure she stays here as long as I live!” Cain reassured him, “We should finish quickly so we can go meet him!”
It was just the case of a worried family, Cain could only wonder how her father will react to what she had to say!
“Come on, take a seat. Were scaring the other customers!” Cain took Leon to sit with them.
“Take a rest and order something, It’s on me for dragging you all here!” Leon said, giving the soldiers with him a time out! He took them from the barracks where they were stationed for this search mission.
These weren’t all the soldiers as they spread out looking for Alice, but he couldn’t leave them standing like that!
“Ummm, Sir Leon. Might I ask what brought you to our humble establishment?” Evan who was serving them asked, he was surprised to see the lord’s son sitting in his Inn.
Leon looked at him dumbfounded. ‘What is he talking about? shouldn’t it be obvious?’ Then he remembered that most people don’t know how Alice looks!
“No, you don’t have to worry! I just came to pick my little sister up!”
This time Cain was the one dumbfounded, did Leon just spill the beans? Didn’t his father tell him to keep quiet about the whole thing? What were they thinking!
Shocked, Evan looked at the only person that wasn’t supposed to be there! Alice was still shoving food down her mouth without regard to the world.
‘Don’t tell me it’s her, wasn’t she supposed to be sick?’ A lot of questions ran through his head but he decided to stay silent. It was always bad to prey further into the nobles’ life!
After they finished eating, it was time for them to head toward the Lord’s mansion. Cain had a lot to talk with him about anyway!
Instead of walking, they took a carriage. Even though the ride was short, It was a mess in all aspects. The girls have turned it into their playground!
Sofia was enjoying a calm trip inside, she was the only one behaving well!
The moment she saw the carriage, Selena said she want to ride at the top! Quickly used her claws to climb up before anyone could stop her, sitting cross-legged at the top while holding with her claws. Leon didn’t seem to try and stop her so Cain let her do her things.
Alice who was just able to move and run freely decided to sit in the driver’s seat, she wanted to try everything she didn’t do before!
After drawing as much attention as they could, they finally reached the lord’s mansion and got to the meeting.
William was awaiting them in the hall, it looked more like a throne room that a meeting hall! Nobles were lined to each side with William sitting in his chair in the front, Leon’s mother was standing beside him in her maid uniform.
On each side of him, there was a chair for each of his children, one for Alice and the other is for Leon!
Leon quickly took his place beside his father.
Cain could notice the nobles looking at William in disgust, their twisted faces kept just getting uglier! The reason for their attitude was simple, in this meeting they are just spectators with no right to voice their opinion unless collectively! Since they were summoned suddenly they didn’t have time to prepare.
“The called guests, Cain Lisworth, Sofia Lawrence, Selena Atlanta! Kneel before the Lord!” The speaker on behalf of William spoke, waiting for the three of them to kneel so they can start!
Cain stood firm in his place, looked directly at William in the eyes! He had spotted something he recognized to the side! A nun-looking woman was carrying a pillow with a silver sword on it!
Selena was standing there as if she didn’t hear what the man just said, she just didn’t care about what he said!
Sofia was about to kneel down but then stood back up as she saw the other two standing! Alice who was supposed to sit beside her father as Leon did also stayed by Cain’s side, looking at her father with an annoyed look at her face.
“What’s the meaning of this? The audacity!” The speaker yelled, enraged by their attitude.
“Why don’t you kneel? And you Alice, come sit in your place!” William said, trying his hardest to keep a straight face.
“If I keeled it means accepting that, I don’t want to be tied to this city!” Cain said pointing to the nun holding the sword!
That sword was used for the knighthood ceremony, it been here meant that William wanted to give them the rank of knights! There were several problems with that!
Firstly is that they will be bound to the city, this was a rank given by a city lord after all and not the king! It will restrict their movement in the future.
The second reason was workload, being a night will mean you will join the city’s military force and have to work according to that! Cain didn’t have time to deal with it!
Besides it being a title, it usually only has meaning when granted by a king! William should know that so he has other intentions!
“And you?” He asked Selena, who was seemingly distracted by the room decoration.
“Nya, Talking to me? As long as Cain doesn’t, I won’t-nya!” Selena stood in her place, quickly turning her gaze toward the glittering lights in the ceiling!
William looked at the nervous Sofia, “I…I also will do as Cain!” She stuttered to speak.
“My lord, Can we stop this? Alice seems to be getting angry!” Leon’s mother whispered in his ear, “I think we should discuss the other matter with them in private! For now, just give them the keys!”
William nodded, so she acted!
The other noble couldn’t bear the sight of a maid consulting the lord, It was a strange sight that that shouldn’t be seen in such a place!
“Get them in!” She signaled to the maids to open the hall door. From it, 20 people entered! ten young maids who looked a bit nervous, An old man that looked like a butler, four men that seemed in their forties and wearing a similar outfit, and lastly five girls wearing casual clothes.
The twenty of them keeled behind Cain and the others, The butler was the first one to stand up and walk toward Cain.
“We will be in your Care!” The butler handed Cain a silver key with both his hands.